It is the great catch-22 of expository preaching: you preach where the text leads, no matter what. And, on weekends like this past one, that landed us in James 5, and brought on a subject one isn’t supposed to mention in church: Money. You can access the sermon, entitled “Money Talks”, here: http://www.capebiblechapel.org/media.php?pageID=5.

Some great questions were raised, with perhaps the most convicting being this one: You’re willing to open your Bible, but are you willing to open your wallet?

As Christians, we tend to run from the subject of money. We tell ourselves that it isn’t a topic for church or that the church is just trying to get rich or that our money is our business or that we worked hard for it, we can do what we want with it. There are all manner of excuses. But often these rationalizations are like little bunkers we crawl into, toting whatever idol has a current hold on our hearts. We enter these hidey-holes, our pet sin attached, and hide from the chiseling truth which seeks to free us.

In truth, money belongs to God. He entrusts us with it to use toward His glory through giving it away, using it wisely, investing it in His future. We are not to be defined by our money, but rather declare our money as His.

So what is your mindset concerning money? Is it no one’s business, including God’s?

We need to get our view of money in line with God’s view of it.

Here are some money questions to consider today:

–Do you give to your local church, joyfully and regularly? (Be a member of a trustworthy church and give to that church! It will grow your faith, your trust, your hope, and your love for Christ’s Bride!)

–Do you give to any missionaries or missions organizations? (We are all called to take part in delivering the gospel to the ends of the earth. That mandate includes local projects and global ones. And all of these take funding!)

–Are there causes you believe in enough to give to? (Examples include: the war against sex trafficking, orphan care, clean water projects . . . in a broken world, options abound.)

–Are there individuals you are using money to bless? (One way of doing this is by visiting this site: https://fundrazr.com/campaigns/7PsAa Here funds are being raised for a young Cape Girardeau family who had a difficulty pregnancy. Through this trial, they have brought much glory to God, and as medical expenses pile on, there is now an opportunity for others to get involved and heap even more glory out of what could have been a bleak situation. God has leveraged this situation for His glory, and we can take part by opening our wallets and purses!)

Money talks. It is calling to you even now. It awakens our greed and our materialism.